A few days ago I came across this image explaining the social media landscape in the most simplest terms and I believe that this is one of the best written. (Click image to enlarge)
Sure there are other social media platforms but in terms of business, these six are the most popular.
As highlighted previously on the Jarvis Blog social media allows businesses to talk to their target audience in a social setting and is a a key part of the modern marketing mix. However, many businesses are still very unsure as to where social media fits into their larger marketing strategy and are sometimes loosing sight of the real reason social media exists.
One can argue that the earliest inkling of social media started in online chatrooms and Instant Messenger (Eg. MSN). In 2002 the social networking site, Friendster was opened to the US public and grew to around 3 million users. In 2003, MySpace was created as a way for individuals to share updates and photos, and LinkedIn was also launched as a business-orientated social networking site. We then saw the launch of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram and Google+.
So why does social media exist?
Think about the primary reason YOU use social media.
Social media is initially used by individuals to connect with friends and family, share updates, photos, videos and opinions. The secondary function of social media is for individuals to connect with businesses.
How does social media fit into my larger marketing strategy?
Social media should be seen as a supporting channel to your existing marketing efforts and strategy. Depending on your industry and level of spend on advertising and promotion, the level of support will be different.
At Jarvis we like to say, ‘You can’t be all things to all people’ and the same goes with social media. Pick and choose which social media platforms will work best for your business and your goals. Don’t try and be on all social media platforms just because you think you need to be – it wont work.
Social media is part reactionary and part planning. Just like advertising and any other business efforts, it is important to have a strategy in place to create goals and objectives, measure your success, an editorial calendar to plan your time efficiently and maintain consistency. It is also a good idea to research what others in your sector are doing.
Creating great content and driving traffic back to your website is going to remain the number #1 way to generate new leads. Publishing content that is interesting, engaging and informative is a great way to stay in the minds of your target audience. The main aim of your social media content is for it to encourage public engagement and to keep your business top of mind when they are on the path to purchase.
When thinking about content for your social media accounts have a think about yourself and others.. if a page you are following posted this would you like it? would you find it annoying? spammy? If you wouldn’t like it, then it probably wouldn’t be appropriate. The way the public engages with Facebook is completely different to Twitter, Pinterest is completely different to Instagram so why should the messages be the same on each platform? I discourage the program HooteSuite as I believe that each social media platform has different ways of communicating with their audiences. Tailor your messages to suit and make sure the message is short, sharp and shiny! No one reads a paragraph Facebook status!
From a public relations perspective, a big social media no-no is forgetting about, failing to respond, deleting or ignoring negative comments. See these instances as an opportunity to turn an unhappy customer into a happy one.
If you think you need a professional social media/digital strategy or just want ask a few questions, contact us! We are the pros! 🙂
Article By Mel Elsdon
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